Adenovirus Remains a 'Strong Lead' for Unusual Hepatitis in Kids, CDC Says - Medpage Today
While adenovirus remains a prime suspect in the unexplained cases of acute hepatitis in children, the CDC is "keeping an open mind and focusing on hypothesis generation," said Jacqueline Tate, PhD, of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, during a Clinician Outreach and Community Activity (COCA) this week. To date, 180 suspected cases of the mysterious hepatitis in kids are under investigation across 36 U.S. states and territories, according to the CDC. At a press briefing on Friday, agency officials said that over 90% of cases under investigation reported onset prior to May 2022, with most being retrospectively identified. Adenovirus has been detected in nearly half of the cases and "continues to be a strong lead," according to the agency. Six children in the U.S. have died, with the latest death reported on Friday. However, the proportion of patients requiring liver transplant has fallen from 15% to 9%, as more cases have b...